Sleeping in the sightseer lounge or cafe

[lteak]

The first time I rode on the Southwest Chief I saw there were a few people who slept on the floor in one of the observation cars. I was later told one could even sleep in a booth in the Cafe after it was closed. Is tis usually allowed or advisable? How about on the floor at the back of the rear car? We rode in the last car on my previous trip and there was a lot of space there. I was told it was OK as long as you don't block a walking path. Is that true? Anything is better that trying to get a restful sleep in a recliner! I am taking a round trip in the near future from Albuquerque to LA in the near future.

 

[savoirfaire]

Unless a conductor tells you otherwise, it is allowed. I slept in the Sightseer on the Cap Limited once and was never told to move.

-Sav

 

[anir dendroica]

The first time I rode on the Southwest Chief I saw there were a few people who slept on the floor in one of the observation cars. I was later told one could even sleep in a booth in the Cafe after it was closed. Is tis usually allowed or advisable? How about on the floor at the back of the rear car? We rode in the last car on my previous trip and there was a lot of space there. I was told it was OK as long as you don't block a walking path. Is that true? Anything is better that trying to get a restful sleep in a recliner! I am taking a round trip in the near future from Albuquerque to LA in the near future.

I've slept for a few hours in the SSL on cross-country trips. So far as I know there is no rule that you can't sleep there but they will probably wake you up around 5:30 am when the cafe opens and folks start trickling in for coffee. The SSL isn't as dark as the rest of the train, and it doesn't have quiet hours so sleepless folks tend to hang out there and talk all night. That said there are those three-seat chairs where it is possible to lay more or less flat. All told I think I sleep better in my coach seat, unless I have a snoring/smelly/otherwise troublesome seatmate.

Mark

 

[zephyr17]

The first time I rode on the Southwest Chief I saw there were a few people who slept on the floor in one of the observation cars. I was later told one could even sleep in a booth in the Cafe after it was closed. Is tis usually allowed or advisable? How about on the floor at the back of the rear car? We rode in the last car on my previous trip and there was a lot of space there. I was told it was OK as long as you don't block a walking path. Is that true? Anything is better that trying to get a restful sleep in a recliner! I am taking a round trip in the near future from Albuquerque to LA in the near future.

Depends on the crew. Many if not most seem to allow it, and it is a common enough there is a phrase for those doing it, "lounge lizards". However, some conductors don't allow it and I have seen sleepers rousted out of the SSL late at night. As with many things Amtrak, YMMV.

 

[lteak]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

 

[zephyr17]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

It may be better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. A conductor who won't bother those that do it may feel obliged to tell you no if specifically asked for permission beforehand. If it it were me, I'd just settle in if I wanted to, and politely move back to your seat without arguing if the conductor asks you to. Unless you cop an attitude, it won't be a problem.

 

[saxman]

I don't mind sleepers in the lounge as long as they get up early and don't take up the seats during the day.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

IMO go down stairs . IF its open .

I cant sleep on my back .

So Ill often force sleep by being up til 2AM and just doing a few H of non REM . till the food is open in the AM .

If the down stirs is closed then Ill shove my self in a corner of the booth .

 

[lteak]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

It may be better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. A conductor who won't bother those that do it may feel obliged to tell you no if specifically asked for permission beforehand. If it it were me, I'd just settle in if I wanted to, and politely move back to your seat without arguing if the conductor asks you to. Unless you cop an attitude, it won't be a problem.

Thank you. I definitely wouldn't "cop an attitude".

 

[lteak]

IMO go down stairs . IF its open .

I cant sleep on my back .

So Ill often force sleep by being up til 2AM and just doing a few H of non REM . till the food is open in the AM .

If the down stirs is closed then Ill shove my self in a corner of the booth .

This might sound like a creepy question but is there any reason it wouldn't be safe for a woman to do? Is it more secluded down there?

 

[NW cannonball]

IMO go down stairs . IF its open .

I cant sleep on my back .

So Ill often force sleep by being up til 2AM and just doing a few H of non REM . till the food is open in the AM .

If the down stirs is closed then Ill shove my self in a corner of the booth .

This might sound like a creepy question but is there any reason it wouldn't be safe for a woman to do? Is it more secluded down there?

Yes - the lower level is more secluded. And - sleeping in the SSL - the on board crew will will be sleeping also - their 5 hour sleep break out of 24 hours on-line service.

So you will be on your own -- but - me nor my daughter never been bothered while sleeping -- last 20 years EB LSL CP CARD SWC CZ -

 

[fairviewroad]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

Keeping in mind that a new conductor may go on duty in the middle of the night. The conductor

at 11 p.m. might feel differently than the replacement conductor at 3 a.m. (for instance).

 

[lteak]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

Keeping in mind that a new conductor may go on duty in the middle of the night. The conductor

at 11 p.m. might feel differently than the replacement conductor at 3 a.m. (for instance).

So a conductor coming on duty at 3 a.m. will wake someome up and make them more? Seriously? Especially when there is no written rule about sleeping there?.......

 

[zephyr17]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

Keeping in mind that a new conductor may go on duty in the middle of the night. The conductor

at 11 p.m. might feel differently than the replacement conductor at 3 a.m. (for instance).

So a conductor coming on duty at 3 a.m. will wake someome up and make them more? Seriously? Especially when there is no written rule about sleeping there?.......

I don't have a service manual, but I would be willing to bet that there is a rule about spending the night in a lounge space, that passengers should be in their assigned spaces to sleep. It just it isn't very well enforced. With that said, I doubt someone coming on duty in the middle of the night would disturb people already established in the lounge. They will get rousted at 5 or 6 regardless, though.

 

[fairviewroad]

I guess the best thing to do, then is ask the conductor since it seems to be left to their discretion.

Keeping in mind that a new conductor may go on duty in the middle of the night. The conductor

at 11 p.m. might feel differently than the replacement conductor at 3 a.m. (for instance).

So a conductor coming on duty at 3 a.m. will wake someome up and make them more? Seriously? Especially when there is no written rule about sleeping there?.......

I'm not saying they will. I'm saying they might. IOW, conductors (unlike most other on-board personnel) change periodically throughout the journey. And as posters

on here have noted, conductors don't seem to be of one mind on this issue. So if you try to spend the entire night in the lounge, you may encounter two different

types of conductors during that time. It may also boil down to what kind of day/night the guy is having.

If you're a conductor, here's a reason why you don't want people sleeping in the lounge car: Someone sprawled out in the lounge car does not have a seat check

above their head, so the conductor has no way of knowing where that person is supposed to get off the train. Conductors really do not like it when people overstay

their welcome on the train, shall we say.

 

[lthanlon]

In the Southwest Chief Sightseer Lounge recently, about a half-dozen sleeping passengers were stretched out across seats and on the floor upstairs. About as many other passengers were at tables playing cards or having conversations. After closing up the snack bar downstairs, the SSL guy came upstairs and admonished us to keep it down, couldn't we see other passengers were trying to sleep?

I just ignored the guy since the two other folks and I at our table were speaking softly in normal voices. A guy at a table of card players, however, told the SSL guy that if these passengers wanted to sleep, they should do so at their seats or in their sleeping compartments.

The SSL guy then left the car, but managed to stage whisper a nasty word on his way out.

 

[lteak]

In the Southwest Chief Sightseer Lounge recently, about a half-dozen sleeping passengers were stretched out across seats and on the floor upstairs. About as many other passengers were at tables playing cards or having conversations. After closing up the snack bar downstairs, the SSL guy came upstairs and admonished us to keep it down, couldn't we see other passengers were trying to sleep?

I just ignored the guy since the two other folks and I at our table were speaking softly in normal voices. A guy at a table of card players, however, told the SSL guy that if these passengers wanted to sleep, they should do so at their seats or in their sleeping compartments.

The SSL guy then left the car, but managed to stage whisper a nasty word on his way out.

Now, that's ridiculous!! I agreed with the guy at the table!

 

[jdcnosse]

In the Southwest Chief Sightseer Lounge recently, about a half-dozen sleeping passengers were stretched out across seats and on the floor upstairs. About as many other passengers were at tables playing cards or having conversations. After closing up the snack bar downstairs, the SSL guy came upstairs and admonished us to keep it down, couldn't we see other passengers were trying to sleep?

I just ignored the guy since the two other folks and I at our table were speaking softly in normal voices. A guy at a table of card players, however, told the SSL guy that if these passengers wanted to sleep, they should do so at their seats or in their sleeping compartments.

The SSL guy then left the car, but managed to stage whisper a nasty word on his way out.

Now, that's ridiculous!! I agreed with the guy at the table!

I would agree with him as well. I have slept on the bench/chair things in the lounge of the SWC, but never expected that it was supposed to be "quiet." I just popped in my headphones and off to sleep I went.